Yesterday was an extensive day filled with Michael "singing for his supper," and I accompanied him as his wife. We were picked up around 10 am, which we appreciated, especially since we didn't get back the previous night until after 1 am! Our first stop was a newly established research institute linked to the university and hospital, aimed at supporting both basic and clinical research, featuring dedicated buildings for cancer, neurological/mental health, cardiovascular issues, and more. It’s a lovely complex located on the outskirts of the city. We had lunch there with esteemed professors and staff before proceeding to the hospital, where Michael interacted with a group of psychiatry graduate students under the guidance of our host, Xiandong Tang. Each student presented a brief PowerPoint on their current research, and Michael offered encouragement and constructive criticism to help them enhance their work. By 4:30 pm, it was time for his lecture in front of a packed room primarily filled with psychiatrists and graduate students. Interestingly, the audience consisted mostly of women, with only a few men present. Michael was his usual brilliant self, alert and engaged, while I started to feel the effects of jet lag, but I pushed through! After the lecture, we went to a nearby hotel for a banquet featuring fantastic food and an evening filled with toasts and multiple rounds of the Chinese liquor favored by our host. I managed to have a half a tiny shot, and our host finished off the remaining 4 oz portion to serve. Luckily, it was an early night, and we returned to our hotel around 9:30 pm. The bed felt wonderful, and we had a good night's sleep to prepare for a busy day today, starting with an 8:30 am pickup by our hosts and a visit to Panda Park, where I am excited to see the baby pandas. It seems to be both a park and a panda breeding facility. The food here has been outstanding and delightfully spicy — although there were a few dishes that made us pause, like steamed pigeons served with severed body parts, including the head, and sea cucumbers, which everyone apparently enjoyed. Overall, the cuisine has been excellent, filled with spicy vegetables that I wish Mirabella could replicate! I’ll share a few photos of our culinary experiences, along with a picture of our impressive suite at the Jin Jiang Hotel and a view from our windows overlooking the river and city.
Gazing at the stunning temple nestled at the base of the Songshan Mountain range in Henan province, southeast of Luoyang, I had finally reached a destination I had dreamed of visiting for many years. I found myself captivated by the legendary Shaolin temple, renowned as the residence of the esteemed Indian monk Bodhidharma, who is recognized as the founder of Zen Buddhism and Kung Fu martial arts. The temple's historical architectural complex, notable for its remarkable aesthetic appeal and deep cultural significance, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. After capturing my usual photographs of the temple, I settled in front of a statue of Bodhidharma and entered a state of deep meditation. As a practitioner of transcendental meditation, it was easy for me to transition into dhyana, despite the occasional noise from tourists wandering around the temple, primarily known to the general public as the birthplace of Kung Fu. My personal connection to this temple, shared with many of my fellow natives from my home state of Tamil Nadu, India, is through the great Bodhidharma, who journeyed from our city of Kanchipuram in 520 AD to promote Mahayana Buddhism in China. He spent nine years residing in the Shaolin temple, and I plan to share his story as recounted by Tsutomu Kambe, a former Physics Professor at the University of Tokyo, in his book 'Bodhi Dharma and Oceanic Silk Road.' I have long desired to write about the remarkable Bodhidharma for my blog readers ever since my visit to this region in 2003.
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Yesterday was a lengthy day for Michael as he "sang for his supper," and I accompanied him as his wife. We were grateful to be picked up around 10 am, especially since we didn't get home the night we arrived until after 1 am! Our first stop was a new research institute linked to the university and the hospital, designed to support both basic and clinical research with dedicated buildings for cancer, neurological/mental health, and cardiovascular studies, among others. The complex is stunning and situated on the outskirts of the city. We had lunch there with prominent professors and staff before proceeding to the hospital, where Michael engaged with a group of psychiatry graduate students working with our host, Xiandong Tang. Each student presented a brief PowerPoint on their current research, and Michael offered both encouragement and constructive feedback to help them enhance their projects. By 4:30 pm, it was time for his lecture in front of a packed audience mostly composed of psychiatrists and graduate students. Interestingly, the majority were female, with only a few men present. As always, Michael was brilliant and alert, while I, on the other hand, was clearly feeling the effects of jet lag but pushed through!